WATCH: Arizona course devastated by packs of wild pigs
30/10/2023 16:24
A species of wild pigs known as javelinas, also called collared peccaries, have caused extensive damage to the Seven Canyons Golf Club in Sedona.
The greenkeepers there have shared footage of their antics on social media, showing how they have dug up big portions of the course.
Golf courses all over the world are presented with unique challenges from wildlife whether it be alligators or wild pigs.
"What should be one of the most beautiful golf courses in the country is being destroyed by herds of javelina," Em Casey, assistant superintendent of the club said.
The rooting javelinas have been busy for many weeks, according to a report from Golf Monthly, and have produced a huge patchwork of massive divots that would put even the most incompetent hacker to shame. Unwelcome excavation has occurred in the tees, fairways, and rough on many holes.
Prior to the pack’s arrival, Seven Canyons, a picture-perfect golf resort located in the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness region of central Arizona, was referred to by its general manager, Dave Bisbee, as “the Imax of golf” because of its breathtaking scenery. Now, based on Casey’s account, the javelinas are to blame for wholesale devastation.
The packs of wild pigs have flourished in Arizona due to a lack of natural predators and the protection of the plant life that they feed on.
"The javelina don't seem to like the actual tees but dang they sure do like the rough around them though," Casey wrote.
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Service, they love cacti over all other vegetation, although they also eat fruits, insects, and mesquite beans.
The organisation claims that although the animals’ reputation for violence is unjustified, “they can defend themselves very effectively with sharp canine teeth or ‘tusks'” when confronted.
"One of the most least understood, and often feared animals that individuals come into contact with is the javelina," it said.
"But aggressive encounters with humans are very rare. [They] can be very troublesome to landowners when they become habituated to homes and human activities."
Casey, on the other hand, disclosed that groundskeepers have tried, thus far unsuccessfully, to lessen the impact of the javelinas using strange techniques. Among them is dousing certain sections of the course with strong chilli oil; if this works well and doesn’t harm the grass, she promises to spread it out across the whole course.
In addition, the Texas Wildlife Service suggests removing food supplies to force the animals to hunt elsewhere and installing low-voltage electric fencing. But it would not seem to be a workable option in a part of the nation where cacti are widespread.
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